FAYETTE, Iowa - The NCAA Championships Committee has awarded the 2018 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships to Upper Iowa University and the Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, or the CRACVB.

"We could not be more pleased or proud to have been awarded the 2018 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships," said David Miller, Upper Iowa's Director of Athletics. "This honor serves as a great compliment to the efforts of our staff, volunteers, and the Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and a testament to the success of the 2008 Wrestling and 2013 Women's Volleyball Championships hosted in Cedar Rapids. We plan to build on those two championships to make this an even better event for all involved."

Upper Iowa and the CRACVB teamed up to host the 2008 Wrestling and 2013 Women's Volleyball NCAA Division II Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center with great success. UIU was awarded the Duane Kramer Sports Tourism Award in 2008 by the CRACVB for hosting an event that attracted a significant number of visitors to the Cedar Rapids area.

"The competitiveness of the bids made it extremely difficult for the sport committees to select sites as there just weren't spots for all of the great bids we received," said Mark Lewis, the NCAA Executive Vice President of Championships and Alliances. "Ultimately the sites that were selected will provide our student-athletes, coaches and fans the best experience possible."

The 2018 Wrestling Championships will once again take place in the U.S. Cellular Center, and while many hotels will serve the event, the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel will house the student-athletes and coaches. The U.S. Cellular Center is an ideal venue for the NCAA DII Wrestling Championships. Its experienced and professional staff will help create a memorable competition for the student-athletes and thousands of fans expected at the Championship.

"We are very excited that Upper Iowa University will host the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids again in 2018," said Mary Lee Malmberg, the Director of Sports Tourism for the CRACVB. "The newly renovated U.S. Cellular Center will be an excellent venue for the event. Eastern Iowa wrestling fans will have the opportunity to view the competition close to home, and spending by athletes and spectators will provide a boost to the local economy."

The Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CRACVB) is the area's official destination management organization. The CRACVB is responsible for attracting new destination events to the community, providing service and support to existing and repeat events, providing comprehensive information to area visitors and helping drive decisions of future visitor product development. Locally the organization encourages community pride and educates the community on the value of visitors, tourism and travel. For more information about the CRACVB visit: www.cedar-rapids.com

The 2018 NCAA Division II Championships will take place on a Friday and Saturday in early March of 2018. The Championships will feature 160 of the best wrestlers in the country from the nation's four regions. Sixteen student-athletes will compete in each weight class to make up the total field of grapplers.

About Upper Iowa University Founded in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private, not-for-profit university providing undergraduate and graduate degree programs and leadership development opportunities to more than 6,200 students—nationally and internationally—at its Fayette campus and learning centers worldwide. Upper Iowa University is a recognized innovator in offering accredited, quality programs through flexible, multiple delivery systems, including online and self-paced degree program. For more information, visit www.uiu.edu.